Thursday, October 29, 2015

It was small village in North India and
the only semblance of its connection to the urban life is the dusty road
through which rickety buses passed through daily at infrequent intervals. One
could see camel carts loaded much beyond its size parked on the sides of the
road. A few tractors could also be seen plying people.

One could discern from a distance a few
people seated on a raised platform around a big tree with many folks seated on
the ground. The winter had not set in but there was a nip in the air as was
evident from the blankets over the shoulders of a few. There was a tall and
well built man of about 70 with a big turban in white kurta and dhoti worn
through the legs seated centrally. There was a hookah by his side. He seemed
the head of the village panchayat and had some dignified bearing

The panchayat is an informal organization operating in the villages that set rules some of them illegal and dispensed justice not always
in conformity with government rules and laws. It met routinely this Sunday morning with
no big issues on hand to be resolved. There was no controversial sa-gotra marriage, case of adultery or
rape or assault. Everything seemed peaceful till it was broken by the shrill cry
of a young boy of about seven or eight years being dragged by Bola the local grocer
towards the group. The boy in shorts and an over sized vest seemed to be in pain presumably from the beatings by Bola.

“Hey Bola, what happened? Why is the
poor urchin crying?” asked someone from the raised platform.

“This ladka (boy)is a thief
even at this young age and if left unchecked may turn to be a robber. He took bread
from my shop even as I was present there and ran away without paying for it. I
had to chase him up to his hut and bring him here. He should be punished by
burning his palm with hot iron as is the custom in our village”

“What is your name, young boy? Is it a
fact that you took bread from Bola's shop without paying for it and ran away?
Tell me the truth” asked the elderly head of panchayat.

The boy was silent initially and after
some prodding said “My name is Murari.What he says is true. I took the bread as
my mother is starving for the last three days. We have no money. She is dying.
I could not bear see her hungry. I am sorry.”

“You should have requested him
explaining the situation. What you did is wrong and you deserve a punishment”
remonstrated the old man.”Hey, Munna, go to the boy’s hut and find out whether
his mom is really sick as he says and what his dad is doing. We will wait here.
Hurry up. We will see after you return about the punishment”

Bola’s wife had already lit up a fire
and heated a thin steel rod waiting for Munna’s return.

Someone from the dais said “The boy has
himself confessed to the crime. What is the need for further enquiry? He must
be punished severely to ensure he does not do it again” A few others from the
assembled crowd nodded in agreement. When the boy started crying loudly, Bola
smacked him inviting the wrath of the headman.

“Stop it, Bola.Take your hands off the boy. Murari, come near me”

Munna came running and said “Saheb, I am
afraid the boy’s mother is very sick, may be dead too I am not sure. She looks
too emaciated and weak to respond. There was no movement. I think someone should
rush her to the hospital in the next town to see if her life can be saved”

“Does anyone in the crowd know her?”

One man rose and said “She works in my field.
Her husband had deserted her and she has only this boy. She came to our village
after the husband left as her dad belonged to this village. She has not been
coming to work for the last few days. I was thinking of checking myself about her
when this incident has happened. She is quiet by nature and hard working. I
have heard no complaint against her.”

“Are you suggesting that we let go this
boy free unpunished? We must burn the boy’s palm for the theft. Does her
mother’s sickness exonerate the boy of the theft?”shouted one heartless farmer
from the crowd. Some merciless men joined him and there was a chorus demanding
punishment.

The head of panchayat signaled silence
and said ”Hey Jassaram, you have a jeep. Take that poor woman to the hospital
immediately along with your wife and some other willing women. Take this
1000Rs.She belongs to our village and our daughter. We cannot allow her to die
like an orphan. Hurry up before it becomes late. The others remain seated till
I dispose of this case.”

There was a murmur of voices both in
protest and in agreement. After Jassaram and others left the venue to take the
woman to hospital in the jeep, the old man beckoned Bola’s wife to come near
him and hand over the red hot iron rod. The boy sobbed in fear loudly.

The old man took the rod in his hand and
said, “I agree with you all that the guilty should be punished without mercy. Murari's mom was sick and without work for a few days. There was none to
take care of her. When her condition had worsened and she was starving, the
seven year old had no other aim than to feed his mom. I am sure he must have
asked Bola to give a few loaves of bread before snatching the bread and running
away.” He turned to Bola and asked him “Did the boy not ask you initially for
your help? Answer truthfully”

Bola in shame hung his head down and
nodded his head in affirmative.

“As I told you the woman is a daughter
of this village. She came here with her young son after her husband deserted
her as she thought rightly this village her home and that she would be safe
here than elsewhere. The farmer in whose field the poor woman worked did not make any effort to inquire about her well being although she worked for him
sincerely as he himself had said. No other member of the village who worked in
the field along with her cared for her with
each one minding his or her own business..Yet many of you are baying for the
blood of this young boy who does not know even what is right or wrong in a
crisis. His only goal was to save his mother. Bola could have been generous. I
consider the whole village guilty of negligence and indifference. As the head
of the village I own the responsibility for our callous attitude and inflict
the punishment on myself. He opened his left palm and ran the red hot iron on
it to the shock and dismay of the crowd.

“I hope this will be a lesson for future
that we should not let down one of our own in times of distress. The boy Murari
will be in my care and custody till his mother returns. I will take charge of
his education and well being as if he is my grandson. The meeting is over” he
said even as he put his right hand on the shoulder of boy. The crowd dispersed
a little chastened and a few were seen wiping their tears.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

It was unusually cold for this part of
the year with the chill wind blowing now and then adding to the discomfort. I
was sitting aimlessly on a raised parapet wall built around the lounge leading
to the metro station. One needed a ticket to enter the station where one can
find comfortable seats. I had neither a place to go nor the money to spend for
the luxury of sitting in the station. I had just finished the last fag with my
eyes closed and decided that it was time to leave for my room. It was then I heard
a slight shuffle of feet by my side. It was a young woman in her early twenties
who would look pretty charming but for her jaded clothes, crumpled hair and a face that badly needed a wash.

“Can I sit by your side for a while, as a jerk
has been stalking me? I am unable to shake him off, and if he sees us
conversing, he may go away looking for another quarry.”

I turned to see a tall muscular guy with
a county cap on his head walking away

“Okay, sit down by my side though it is
cold here. Tell me where you reside as it is obvious you are not travelling by
train.”

“Frankly I have no place to go and that
is why I am loitering here not knowing what to do.”

“Sounds strange! Where were you living
hitherto?What is your name?”

“Tina,I was living with a man for six
months till he threw me out this morning.”

“Oh oh,I am sorry. Why did he throw you
out? Any other woman? How long you had known him?”

“Six months only as I had moved in on
the first day I met him. He sounded genuine and warm. He was also sturdy and
good looking. I had also no place to go. We were getting along well and I had
no reason to suspect that anything was amiss. He did not also tell me why he
suddenly lost interest in me” she said in a stoical way.

“Was it like that earlier too, I mean
living with someone, before you met this guy? Anyway you do not have to answer
that question. Tell me whether you work anywhere or just loaf around living off
others?”

“That was a mean question from you” Tina
said angrily. "I was working as a maid in a bar till a week back when they
decided to send away a few girls due to poor business. I am looking for another
place and hope to get in two days. May be the guy threw me out when he knew I
had no job. Anyway it is a closed chapter.”

I remained quiet not knowing what to do.
I did not have the heart to leave her in the dead of night at a vulnerable and
dangerous place nor was I convinced about the desirability of taking an unknown
woman to my place.

She broke me from my reverie when she
touched my hand and with folded hands pleaded, “Please help me stay with you
for this night. I will leave tomorrow morning. You need have no fear, I
promise”

When I saw the same stalker a little
yonder, I decided to take her with me.”Okay, come with me. I see that guy still
there waiting for you to be alone. Let me make it clear. My room is small and
cannot accommodate a guest on regular basis.. You will have to sleep on the
floor and leave when the day breaks. Is it clear?”

We then crisscrossed through different
dark and dingy lanes till we reached my room at the basement of a house.It was self contained
with a bath and kitchenette. A queen sized bed, a reclining chair, a big fridge
and a small TV on the wall made it a livable place.

As she was looking around the room with
interest, I rummaged the small closet to come up up with a faded jeans and a
shirt. I gave them to her along with a towel and said, “Have a good shower. You
can use the soap and shampoo. This jeans and shirt should fit you. I will get
you a new pair tomorrow. Do remember you are leaving in the morning”

She extended her hand to shake mine and
said “Thank you so much. You are so kind and understanding..I will be back in a
trice after a shower”

When she was inside the bathroom, Tina
heard the sound of something being moved.

She gently opened the door a little to
see him moving the bed away from the wall and craning his neck that side. She
closed the door swiftly without noise and had a warm and soothing shower.
Everything was clean and perfect. His stonewashed jeans and shirt fitted her
well and she looked attractive totally different from the grimy woman she was
earlier.

As she came out, I screamed
involuntarily and said “ Wow, you look ravishing”

She hugged me and said “Thank you. I am
famished and need something to eat right away. Can I peep inside your fridge to
find something?”

In a startled tone I said “No, you sit
on the chair. I have a piece of Pizza and an apple. May be a glass of milk if
you care to warm it up”

I had already spread a bed on the floor
with a pillow and blanket. I said “You may eat and then go to sleep. I am dead
tired and would like to hit the bed” and added with a wink “No misreading me,
be sure on that. I am just trying to be hospitable to a young lady in distress”

I heard a loud knock at the door.It was
7 am,I turned to see the woman.She was not in the bed.I could see the light in
the bath room.As I opened the main door slightly,the tall guy with county
cap,the stalker,put his foot inside and pushed me in

“Where is the lady?”he gruffly asked.

“Who the hell are you? How can you enter
my house without my permission? I am not obliged to tell the whereabouts of any
lady you are talking about. Please get out” I shouted in anger.

He whipped from his pocket an identity
card to show he is from Anti drugs authority and let in two armed men in uniform. Shocked at the sudden
turn of events, I turned towards the bathroom when I heard the door being
opened.

The tall guy stood in attention and gave
her a stiff salute that sent a chill on my spine.

She said in a soft but authoritative
voice “Look at the wall on the side of his bed. He was meddling there last
night.

I let out a swear “You dirty B***h when
the two uniformed men encircled me and
handcuffed my hands behind me..The game was soon up with the secret vault on the wall opened and
a large cache of contraband stuff found inside

"I want you to open the large
fridge that is possibly emptyand rip it apart. I suspect it is bound to
give a rich haul" she said to the tall guy. The search was not in vain and
far exceeded her expectations.

As I was pushed into the waiting police
car she said to me “ I am sorry buddy. You were a good host but I had my duty to do, though painful it was, on a
trusting guy like you..We had identified you already but did not know where you
had stashed the stuff. We wished to secure concrete evidence before you are put
behind bars” and moved with firm steps towards her chauffeured car.